18 Recipes to Help You Create The Perfect Indoor Picnic

Grab a blanket and a picnic basket and set up camp in your living room. You can make all the traditional foods, like pimento cheese sandwiches, pasta salad and bite-sized hors d'oeuvres. Finish the meal with a few desserts, like mini raspberry financiers or chocolate chip cookies. Keep it authentic and try not to make anything that requires heat (but, obviously you have the luxury of your oven being in the next room if you're craving a warm finger food). (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
This recipe is adapted from cookbook author Dorie Greenspan. You can portion and freeze these gougères in advance, then bake them just before guests arrive (you may need to add a few minutes of baking time). This recipe makes soft gougères that are custardy in the center. If you prefer a firmer puff, use 4 eggs. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/nut-and-cheese-gougeres-recipe">Nut and Cheese Gougères</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
Pasta salads are essential summer food: they travel well; they're easy to adapt to whatever produce you have on-hand; and they're simple to make in large portions, making them perfect dishes to carry to parties, picnics, and barbecues. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/sausage-and-arugula-pasta-salad-recipe/">Sausage and Arugula Pasta Salad</a> (Farideh Sadeghin/)
This light quinoa salad, filled with scallions, mint, snap peas, and crisp haricots verts tossed in a Dijon vinaigrette, makes a perfect summer side dish for picnics and barbecues. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/quinoa-salad-sugar-snap-peas-scallions-and-mint-recipe/">Quinoa Salad with Snap Peas, Scallions, and Mint</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
A healthy dose of celery seeds and sharp Dijon mustard add a kick to this mashed potato and egg salad. Get the recipe for<a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Judes-Perfect-Potato-Salad">Jude's Perfect Potato Salad</a> (James Oseland/)
Tahini's nutty, luxurious properties don't stop at hummus. Keep the sesame paste flowing with this vibrant, creamy carrot purée. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/tahini-carrot-dip-recipe">Carrot-Tahini Dip</a> (Helen Cathcart/)
This crusty sandwich only calls for a handful of ingredients—pecorino, parsley, and anchovy—but has big flavors. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/pecorino-parsley-anchovy-sandwiches-recipe">Pecorino, Parsley, and Anchovy Sandwiches</a> (Michelle Heimerman/)
Herbes de Provence, the quintessential Provençal seasoning combo of thyme, rosemary, marjoram, and oregano, enhances this lemony crème fraîche dip. Serve it with crudités as part of a picnic spread. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/herbed-creme-fraiche-dip-recipe/">Herbed Crème Fraîche Dip</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
The dough, a variation on a Southern-style biscuit dough, is rolled out and folded several times to ensure delicate layers. Leftover dough and scraps can be rolled out again and cut and baked into biscuits. The dough can also be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen until ready to use. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/pigs-in-blanket-with-herbed-mustard-dipping-sauce">Pigs in a Blanket with Herbed Mustard Dipping Sauce</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
Chef Yves Camdeborde assembles these haute deviled eggs—the whites marinated in soy sauce and pomegranate vinegar—à la minute at his stand-up bar L'Avant Comptoir de la Mer in Paris, but you can make the filling up to a day in advance and keep it refrigerated. Be sure to drain the whites immediately after 15 minutes of marinating so they don't toughen. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/deviled-eggs-crab-recipe">Deviled Eggs With Crab</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
This dish of crisp <em>haricots verts</em> paired with a quick Dijon vinaigrette makes a simple, easy-to-transport side that's great for picnics or summer barbecues. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/haricot-verts-dijon-vinaigrette-recipe/">Haricots Verts with Dijon Vinaigrette</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
A zingy sherry-Dijon vinaigrette offsets the bitterness of the endives and cuts through the richness of the nuts and cheese in this rustic French salad. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Endive-and-Walnut-Salad/">Endive and Walnut Salad</a> (Clark Wood/)
This hearty twist on the classic Provençal pressed sandwich pan bagnat combines black olive tapenade, goat cheese, roasted chicken, and thinly sliced vegetables. Make it at least two to three hours before you plan to serve it to really let the flavors marry. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/roast-chicken-pan-bagnat-provencal-chicken-sandwich-recipe">Roast Chicken Pan Bagnat with Olive Tapenade and Goat Cheese</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
This classic pimento cheese sandwich is spiced up with Sriracha, and comes from Brandon Martinez of Noble Sandwich Co. in Austin, Texas. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/pimento-cheese-sandwich-with-homemade-pickles/">Pimento Cheese Sandwich with Homemade Pickles</a> (Joseph De Leo/)
A dollop of ricotta on earthy-sweet oat bread is delicious; add a drizzle of sourwood honey and it's elevated to the exquisite. (For a bit of sophisticated heat, top with a sprinkle of freshly-crushed red pepper flakes.) Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Ricotta-and-Honey-Sandwich/">Ricotta and Honey Sandwich</a> (Helen Rosner/)
This twist on a classic Israeli salad, in which Asian pear stands in for tomatoes, is a refreshing counterpart to warm, spice-roasted meats like chicken or kebabs. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/cucumber-pear-and-sumac-onion-israeli-salad-recipe">Cucumber, Pear, and Sumac–Onion Salad</a> (Neal Santos/)
These mini financiers make perfect portable treats for summer get-togethers. They're best eaten the day they're made, but if you want to start them ahead of time, you can make the batter the day before, refrigerate it overnight, and bake them in the morning. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/raspberry-financiers-recipe/">Raspberry Financiers</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
Originally a cake recipe, these cookie bars are crisp and make a delectable snack for friends and family to share. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/swedish-visiting-cake-bars-recipe">Swedish Visiting Cake Bars</a> (Christina Holmes/)
These rich, chocolate chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and perfect with a cup of coffee. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/chocolate-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe">Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies</a> (Farideh Sadeghin/)